Winner(s)

First Broadcast

Original channel

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"Six robots fight it out across five battles, with the worst performer eliminated at the end of each battle. Everyone's favourite survival of the fittest returns promising even more destruction, strategy and action. Alliances are broken more often than chassis in this ultimate war of attrition!"

— Official announcement for the Annihilator from the Robot Wars Forum[1]

The Annihilator of Robot Wars Extreme: Series 2 was one of the major competitions that took place during Robot Wars Extreme: Series 2. The format was the same as the other Annihilators. The episode was originally broadcast on BBC Choice on January 15, 2003 and repeated on BBC Two on May 30, 2003.

On the activate call, the six robots leapt into life. Raging Reality flipped Thermidor 2 straight over, with the lobster self-righting after two attempts. Thermidor 2 came back into the action and flipped Major Tom into Revenge of Trouble and Strife's spinning disc weapon. Typhoon 2 ran into Kan-Opener at full speed, but one of the sharp claws of the latter pierced the shell of the former, and stopped the robot from spinning. Breaking away, Kan-Opener was attacked by Thermidor 2, who bounced it off the ground. Meanwhile, Typhoon 2 had not started spinning again, and Raging Reality flipped it from behind. The other robots continued to fight, but Typhoon 2 was unable to self-right, and thus deemed immobilised. Typhoon 2 was counted out, although Major Tom lay dormant too, until one drive sprung to life right before the end.

Thermidor 2 and Raging Reality began with flips on Major Tom and Kan-Opener respectively. Thermidor 2 then charged into Major Tom, knocking a chunk of loose armour away. Revenge of Trouble & Strife spun around, no one challenging it. It then ran into Major Tom, causing it to flail sideways, and Thermidor 2 flipped Raging Reality over. Raging Reality self-righted and moved aside as Sir Killalot pushed the sluggish Major Tom into its CPZ. Revenge of Trouble & Strife collided with Raging Reality.

Kan-Opener inflicts telling damage on Raging Reality

Refbot counts out Raging Reality

Kan-Opener reversed Raging Reality into the side wall, and Major Tom was cornered in the CPZ. Revenge of Trouble & Strife struck Thermidor 2's wheel. The two began to push and shove at each other, with Thermidor 2 pushing Revenge of Trouble & Strife back but being caught by Dead Metal. However, it escaped when Revenge of Trouble & Strife attacked Dead Metal, raising it off the ground. Against all odds, however, Major Tom came back to life and hit the pit release, as Kan-Opener dragged Raging Reality back towards the remaining three. It soon became evident that Raging Reality had become immobilised and Refbot counted it out. Kan-Opener caught Revenge of Trouble & Strife and pitted it several seconds later, but it was Team Knightmare who would be going home.

Thermidor 2 and Major Tom watch Revenge of Trouble & Strife get pitted

The four machines, on the most part bruised and battered, returned to the arena for Round 3. Revenge of Trouble & Strife and Thermidor 2 continued their skirmish, with Major Tom barging in for an attack. Thermidor 2 threw Revenge of Trouble & Strife over, but it landed on its wheels. Kan-Opener seized Major Tom and pushed it away, and Thermidor 2 chased after the retreating Revenge of Trouble & Strife, whose spinner was not working. Thermidor 2 flipped Revenge of Trouble & Strife onto its back this time, where it could not self-right. Kan-Opener pushed it onto the pit as it descended, where it hovered slightly. Thermidor 2 and Major Tom were occupied with each other, so Kan-Opener pitted Revenge of Trouble & Strife just before Major Tom reversed in as well.

Despite everything, Major Tom was still in the fight, and begun once more. Kan-Opener tackled Major Tom, slamming it into the side wall. It moved away, only to have Thermidor 2 flip it into the side wall, where it lay on its roll cage, immobile. Kan-Opener seized it and pushed it away, rolling it back onto its wheels, before pushing it into the angle grinders. It then ran into Thermidor 2, and pulled back, taking a blow from Major Tom's flywheel. Activating the pit, Kan-Opener shoved Major Tom into the sidewall, where it took damage from Mr. Psycho's hammer and Matilda's flywheel. Parts of the shell and roll cage were ripped to shreds by the flywheel, and Major Tom was then counted out. More damage from the House Robots saw the top of Major Tom seriously destroyed, damage furthered by a gas cooker and final blow from Matilda's flywheel, leaving the once-proud Major Tom in pieces.

A tattered Major Tom

Major Tom left upside-down

"What a way to retire!"

— Craig Charles, after Major Tom is eliminated

It was later revealed that the punishment was simply staged, as the Major Tom team had already begun work on the new version of Major Tom that would appear during the Seventh Wars, and were willing to let their former robot to be destroyed.

The last two robots re-entered the arena for the final. Thermidor 2 tried to flip Kan-Opener, but was caught by Kan-Opener. With the grip on the wheel, Kan-Opener shoved it into the side wall. Kan-Opener released Thermidor 2 in order to escape the flame pit, only to dodge another flip and catch the lobster by the flipper. Thermidor 2 shoved Kan-Opener into the House Robots, but the yellow machine escaped. Finally, Kan-Opener seized Thermidor 2 and crushed its right wheel, causing it to spin in circles. The panel on Thermidor 2's flipper was peeled up, and Kan-Opener grabbed Thermidor 2 once more, ruthlessly dragging it around the arena.

"They're still alive, and they'll go to the judges, I think. What a worthy final for the Annihilator"

— Jonathan Pearce as the last ten seconds tick down

Kan-Opener grabs hold of the limping Thermidor 2

Kan-Opener wins in the dying seconds

As the timer began to count down to a judges' decision, Kan-Opener shoved Thermidor 2 into the open pit.

"Will they go to the judges!? No! Right at the death there, pitted! Kan-Opener the Annihilator champions, Thermidor couldn't quite hold on!"

— Jonathan Pearce, immediately after his last statement

Team Kan-Opener, with their Annihilator trophy

Annihilator Champion: Kan-Opener

"Six robots came, five were shown the doors, 'cause only one can reign supreme, on Robot Wars!"